Dive Disaster
by HedwigsTalons
Summary: A routine training dive for Penny and Sam turns into an emergency situation which could have life-changing consequences.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N All charachters belong to HiT Entertainment**

Sam, Penny and Ellie lined up in front of Station Officer Steele while he assigned their duties for the day. "Sam, Penny; you are to head over to the Ocean Rescue Centre. Sam needs to keep keep his diving hours up or he will need to retrain. Ellie, you are to stay in the station in case any emergencies come in. You can check the contents of Jupiter's lockers against this inventory". He dismissed the firefighters and they headed off to their respective duties.

Sam and Penny climbed into Venus and headed over to the quay. Ben was already waiting for them. As Penny climbed down from Venus he ran over and grabbed her, kissing the back of her neck. "Get off me" she squealed "this is not the time. We are both on duty. Station Officer Steele would go mad if he saw". Sam smiled at his two friends. They were besotted with each other but he knew neither of them would let it get in the way of their work. "Ok" huffed Ben in mock indignation "I consider myself firmly told off".

Penny took charge. She was the station's most experienced diver and had completed her advanced instructor training. Sam looked apprehensively at the scuba kit laid out in front of him. He was a competent diver but he never felt truly comfortable under the water. As the child of a fisherman he was well aware of the dangers of the sea and much preferred to keep his head above the waves. Penny was already checking over the equipment. "Come on. We haven't got all day" she admonished. "Seeing as you can't be persuaded to take the advanced test we are only here to clock up some more time in your diving log and run through some basic drills. Steele wants us back before lunch". "You know diving isn't really my thing Penny. I'll keep up the standard needed for me to do rescues but I've got no interest in taking it further. You might be part-mermaid but if I need to be out to sea I prefer to be on a boat" he replied. Although she had already made her own checks to both sets of equipment she made Sam run through the pre-dive assessment too; after all, he was being tested.

Penny and Sam changed in to wetsuits and lifted the scuba kit into Neptune. Ben was to be their pilot for the morning. As Ben skilfully navigated the boat out to sea Penny explained what she had planned. "I thought we would dive over near Pontypandy Island. The water there isn't too deep so no worries about you exceeding your depth limit. I'll assess you on the basics like water entry and then we will do some swimming and practice the underwater communication signs. You will also have to transfer a casualty into Neptune" she said, indicating Dolly, the training mannequin, kitted out in a life jacket. "There should be some decent wildlife over by the island too which gives me the chance to try this out" she said, waving the water the waterproof camera Ben had given her for her last birthday.

Neptune was nearly at the island so Penny and Sam clipped on their air tanks and adjusted their face masks. Ben anchored Neptune in a safe area and all three took note of the time so they could keep an eye on the air limits. Penny and Sam sat on the edge of Neptune. Sam rolled backwards into the water first with Penny following close behind. Sam gave Penny a thumbs-up to show that all was well. Penny gave Sam some directions to follow to check he understood the most common commands. It looked more like a game of underwater charades but each of them knew they importance of regular practice to ensure that there would be no confusion in a real emergency situation. After a few minutes Penny pointed to her camera then at some rocks, she was keen to try out her first underwater photography.

As the pair got closer to the rocks they could see a tangle of fishing debris littering the sea floor. It wasn't quite the photos she had planned to take but Penny indicated to Sam that she was going to take some snaps. She wanted to show Ben the state of the area. As coastguard he would be better placed to keep and eye on the fishing boats that came into the area and watch for those that dumped waste overboard.

After a couple of minutes of taking photos and Penny felt the pressure through her air line change. The air was still flowing but something didn't feel quite right. She checked her air level indicator but it showed three quarters of a tank remaining, exactly what she thought should be left. Penny waved to Sam, tapped her regulator to show she had a problem, then pointed up to the surface. Sam signalled his acknowledgement and watched Penny kick out for the surface. However, Penny had got closer to the old nets than either of them had realised. As she kicked out her foot got tangled in the rope webbing. She tried in vain to get free but as she tried to disentangle herself she felt her air cut out completely. Penny panicked and thrashed about. Sam saw her distress and swam over to help.

Sam reached Penny just as she blacked out. He pulled out his dive knife and began to saw through the ropes that bound her to the sea floor. The old nets were tough and it felt like an eternity before the last fibres gave in to the sharp blade. Sam pulled Penny free, acutely aware that every second counted. It was a small mercy that they were only diving in shallow water and Sam could rise as fast as possible without having to worry about decompression sickness. He headed up to the light and air of the surface, towing Penny's unconscious form with him and being careful to avoid getting tangled himself.

Sam and Penny broke the surface and Sam blew on the whistle that that was attached to his wetsuit. The shrill blast shook Ben from a daydream. He looked around for the source of the sound and knew in an instant that something was wrong. His friends had surfaced far sooner than expected and the way Penny was laying in the water, supported by Sam, sent a chill to his core.

Ben manoeuvred Neptune closer to the pair in the water. He helped Sam to transfer Penny into the boat then hauled Sam in after. Sam tore off his and Penny's masks and regulators and started CPR. She looked so small and limp on the floor of the boat that the two men, friend and lover, feared the worst.

Sam continued CPR while Ben turned for shore and opened Neptune's throttle. Ben grabbed the radio. "Tom!" he shouted into transmitter, all radio protocol forgotten in his panic. "Tom, can you hear me!". A moment later the radio crackled a response "This is Mountain Rescue, go ahead Coastguard". "Tom, bring Wallaby 2 over to the Ocean Rescue, it's Penny". "Copy that Coastguard, arrival in 4 minutes".

As the boat and her crew moored at the Ocean Rescue Centre the rotors of Wallaby 2 could already be heard in the sky over Pontypandy. Tom brought the helicopter in to land. Nurse Flood was already in the rear of the helicopter. She had been up at the Mountain Rescue Centre replenishing the first aid kit when the call came in so had travelled down with Tom in case she was needed. She and Tom ran over with a stretcher and helped Ben to transfer Penny to dry land and into the back of Wallaby 2.

Sam stood in Neptune staring up at Wallaby 2 as it headed off to Newtown hospital. The sight of Ben cutting off Penny's wetsuit while Nurse Flood charged the on-board defibrillator burned into him leaving a memory that he knew would haunt him forever.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N All characters belong to HiT Entertainment**

The commotion at the quay had drawn quite a crowd of Pontypandy residents. As Wallaby 2 disappeared from sight the gossip and chatter started up as people speculated on Penny's condition. It wouldn't be long before the whole town had heard one version of events or another even though Sam had been the only witness to the incident.

Charlie and Bronwen, Sam's brother and sister-in-law, had been brought out of their seafront cafe by the noise of the helicopter. As Penny was evacuated to hospital Charlie spotted Sam still standing alone in Neptune. He made his was down the stone steps of the quay to where Neptune was moored and stepped aboard. Sam still stared at the sky. As the two brothers stood side by side Station Officer Steele's voice came over the radio. "Come in Sam. This is Station Office Steele requesting a situation report. Over". When Sam made no move to reply Charlie reached for the handset. "Erm, this is Charlie. I'm with Sam but I think he is in shock." "Ok Charlie" came Steele's voice, a little more kindly "What is happening down there?". "I don't really know" Charlie responded, "Tom has flown off with Penny and taken Ben and Nurse Flood with him but I can't get a word out of Sam". "Do you need assistance at the quay?". "I don't think so. I'll make sure everything is secure here and then bring Sam back to the fire station". "Thank you Charlie. With Penny out of action I'm glad to be able to keep Ellie here in case any calls come in. Let me know if anything changes".

Charlie turned to his brother. Sam was still in his wetsuit and beginning to shiver. Charlie gently put his hand on Sam's shoulder and the younger man jolted in surprise, he had barely registered his brother's presence before. "Come on Sam, lets get you ashore and into some dry clothes". Charlie helped Sam onto the steps and handed him across to Bronwen. "Sam's kit must be in the Ocean Rescue Centre. Can you make sure he gets dry and then get something warm into him. I need to get Neptune back into her berth". "Of course, love" Bronwen replied "I've got some soup going, I'll see if I can get him to eat some of that".

Charlie piloted Neptune round to the doors of the Ocean Rescue Centre and got her safely moored. He looked at the tangle of scuba kit on the floor of the boat. He wasn't too sure what to do with the tanks and air lines so he lifted them out of the boat and piled them in a corner out of the way. He then went to find his wife and brother.

Charlie found Sam and Bronwen sat in the cafe. Sam was dry and dressed and was protesting that he needed to get back to the station. As Charlie entered he heard Bronwen putting on her sternest mother voice. "No Sam. You got freezing cold out there. You are going nowhere until I've seen you eat some hot food. You will be no use to anyone if you get ill." Charlie smiled to himself. "Come on little brother. You know there in no point arguing with her. The quicker you eat that soup the quicker you can get back to work". Sam grimaced and picked up his spoon. He knew his family was right and hot food would do him good. He dipped the spoon into the steaming bowl of soup that Bronwen had placed in front of him. The image of Penny kept playing behind his eyes and he felt sick. Sam forced down three spoonfuls then stood up. "I'm sorry Bronwen, I know you mean well but I just can't. I need to get Venus back and I need to give my report and…" Sam faltered, "…and let them know what happened to Penny".

Evening had fallen and the whole crew had gathered at the fire station waiting for news. At 6pm a buzzer sounded to mark the change of watch but nobody moved. Arnold and Elvis had arrived as soon as they heard the news, long before their shift was due to start, and Sam and Ellie were in no hurry to leave. As the fire station was manned round the clock they knew any calls from the hospital would be received there. Noone wanted to be alone. Even Station Officer Steele had left his office and joined the rest of the firefighters in the rest area. He had brought the control tablet of the Map Screen-700 through in case any emergencies came in but everyone was hoping for a quiet night.

The crew kept a silent vigil. Cups of tea were made and left to go cold. Each firefighter was lost in their own thoughts. Shortly after midnight the phone rang. The shrill peal startled the firefighters from their brooding. Station Officer Steele jumped to his feet and lifted the extension handset in the kitchen.

 **Steele: Pontypandy Fire Station.**

 **Helen: Hello Station Officer Steele, it's Helen Flood. Ben and I are still at the hospital with Penny. I wanted to update you before we head home.**

 **Steele: Just a moment Helen, I'll put you on loudspeaker.**

 **Helen: Are you sure?**

 **Steele: Yes, whatever you have to say the team will want to hear it too. They wouldn't want me to keep anything from them.**

Everyone had been staring at the phone during this short exchange. Station Officer Steele pressed a button on the handset and the line was amplified. There was a pause before Nurse Flood spoke again as she composed herself to break the news.

 **Helen: I can't give you any definite news, it's just too soon to say. The doctors have managed to stabilise Penny and have put her in an induced coma. She is suffering from acute hypoxia, oxygen starvation, so she is being ventilated with enriched oxygen. The doctors want to monitor her for a few days before before they bring her round. Only then will we have a better picture of her condition. We don't know how long she was without oxygen for and patients respond differently to these things. She might...she might have permanent brain damage.**

 **Steele: I see. Thank you for calling, Helen.**

Station Officer Steele replaced the phone in its cradle and hung his head. A heavy silence filled the air. The relief that had washed over everyone on hearing that Penny was alive had been snatched away upon hearing that she might never fully recover. Elvis put his head in his hands and in doing so knocked a mug off of the table with his elbow.

The crashing sound as the mug hit the floor seemed to waken the Station Officer from his thoughts. He turned to face the assembled firefighters. "You heard Nurse Flood. We won't know any more until they bring Penny out of her coma. In the meantime we still have a service to maintain. Anyone that is not meant to be on duty is to go home and get some sleep." Ellie stood up to go but Sam stayed in his seat. "That was an order Fireman Sam" barked Steele. Sam looked as though he was going to argue with his superior officer but then thought better of it. He looked into the Station Officer's eyes and saw the same emotion etched there that he himself felt. "Yes Sir" he answered quietly as he stood up. Penny had been stationed at Pontypandy for almost as long as Sam and Elvis. The four of them had worked as a unit for many years and Sam realised it was only natural that the Station Officer was also hit hard by the news. Sam looked back before he left the room "If anything changes please call me straight away". Station Officer Steele answered with a slight nod of his head and Sam left, satisfied that he could do no more.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N All characters belong to HiT Entertainment**

 _Beep..…Beep…..Beep…..Beep_

The sound seeped into Penny's consciousness but she couldn't place it. She knew it wasn't her alarm clock. Things felt…wrong. She could sense bright lights through her closed eyelids. There was a smell of antiseptic and cleaning products. Penny also became aware that she wasn't alone, she wasn't sure how many people were there but there were several unfamiliar voices. She caught snatches of their conversation.

… _signs show positive response…_

… _oxygen saturation and heart rate stable…_

Penny tried to open her eyes but couldn't. She became uncomfortably aware of a tube in her mouth and tried to claw it out but her body wouldn't obey her instructions. Even calling for help proved impossible.

 _Beep..Beep..Beep_

… _heart rate increasing…_

… _patient show signs of distress…_

… _is he still outside? Bring him in to talk to her…_

… _it doesn't matter what you say, just talk…_

The panic in Penny was mounting. She felt trapped, helpless and scared. As the fear turned to terror Penny felt a hand on her arm and a soothing, familiar voice cut through the chaos.

Ben had been waiting outside the intensive care bay while the medical team attempted to revive Penny from her induced coma. He looked up as the door opened and quickly followed the doctor as he was ushered into the room. The doctor briefed him on the situation.

"The first signs of recovery were positive but she seems to be in distress. Patients often recover their hearing rapidly so see if she responds to your voice. It doesn't matter what you say, just talk to her."

Ben looked down at Penny lying helpless in the bed. There was no movement from her but the machine monitoring her heart rate was showing a rapid increase. Ben moved round to her side and placed his hand on her arm. He watched as the first beads of sweat started to form on her forehead and took a deep breath. Ben started to speak slowly and calmly event though part of him just wanted bolt out of the room.

" _Hi love. It's me, Ben. I really hope you can hear me. Please don't worry. You are in hospital and the doctors are taking the best care of you. Everyone sends their love and hopes you get better soon. There was an…an accident…at work. I need you to trust me and trust the doctors. Everyone misses you. It hasn't been the same without you around. Arnold has taken over driving Venus while you are out of action. Don't worry, I've warned him not to get too comfy in the driving seat…"_

Penny tried to focus all her attention on Ben's voice and block out all the other noises. The familiar sound was comforting but what he was saying didn't make sense. She couldn't remember any accident. There was no pain that she could identify. Penny tried to do as she was told and not worry but it wasn't easy when her body didn't seem to be under her control. She heard Ben say to trust him and Penny focussed on that one word. Trust. Trust was so important in her job when your life depended not just on your own actions but also those of the team around you. Penny stopped fighting and tried to lose herself in that comforting, familiar voice. A wave of exhaustion swept over her and she surrendered to sleep.

All the while that Ben had been talking the beeps of the heart rate monitoring had been slowing until they settled into a regular, gentle rhythm again. The doctor gestured to Ben to keep talking for a few minutes longer than indicated that he could stop. Ben looked up, worried.

"It's ok", the doctor responded to Ben's questioning gaze, "the signs indicate that she is asleep. A natural sleep this time. She is likely to be out for several hours now. You probably ought to go home, you look like you could do with some sleep yourself. We will call you if anything changes. I know it doesn't seem like much but today was real progress. There is a long journey ahead but the indications are that she will make some level of recovery."

Ben nodded. He gazed down at Penny. She still looked small and vulnerable with all the tubes and wires attached to her but she looked somehow more at peace than she had done previously. Ben realised that the doctor was right, he really did need some sleep. The fateful diving trip had taken place over a week earlier and Ben had been in a perpetual state of worry and fear ever since. Aside from the first day after the accident he was still filling all his shifts at the Ocean Rescue Centre. Meals had mostly been sandwiches hurriedly grabbed from garage forecourts or the hospital shop except when Bronwyn sent over something from her café; she had been doing her best to look after him and keep him well fed. Sleep had been a few snatched hours between work and hospital visits. Some nights, when Penny's condition had been most unstable, he hadn't even made it home at all and had dozed off on the seats outside the intensive care unit.

Ben gathered up his coat and headed for the exit. On the way to the car he made a quick phone call to the fire station. He had promised Station Officer Steele and the rest of the crew that he would update them on any changes in Penny's condition and being revived from the induced coma was a significant milestone. The call was brief; after all the interaction with Penny had only lasted a few minutes.

Ben drove the now overly-familiar route home from the hospital in a daze. The wave of adrenaline he had been riding since the doctors had started the revive procedure had long ebbed away. The words 'some level of recovery' kept playing over and over in his head. No one would give any predictions as to what level of function Penny would regain or how long her recovery would take. By the time he opened the front door the exhaustion had taken over. Ben slumped on the sofa and instantly fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N All characters belong to HiT Entertainment**

Ben woke with a stiff back and a crick in his neck. The first rays of morning light were coming through the window. He realised he must have slept through the whole night on the sofa. Slowly he eased himself up and tried to stretch out his aching and protesting limbs. Checking his watch Ben realised he still had a couple of hours before he was due at work so he took the opportunity to grab a long shower.

Dressed and refreshed, Ben headed to the kitchen. The fridge was almost empty and the last inch of milk had gone sour in the bottom of the bottle. Shopping hadn't really been a priority he mused as he drank a black coffee, the bitter taste making him grimace. Ben decided to abandon his coffee and headed out for the quay. The weather was cool with a stiff breeze. The fresh air had worked up quite an appetite in him by the time he reached the Wholefish Café so he popped in to grab a bacon roll.

Once inside the Ocean Rescue Centre Ben started on his usual duties. He was examining the day's weather charts sent through from the National Weather Centre when he heard the door opening and closing on the floor below. He expected it to be Charlie; the fisherman often popped in before heading out to sea. Previously Charlie's visits had just been to check the forecast and tide charts but more recently he had also been bringing a lunch parcel from Bronwen. Charlie called out a welcome without leaving his desk in the control room. He was surprised when, instead of Charlie's voice, it was Sam that answered. The fireman soon joined him in the control room.

"Hello! What brings you here today? Your brother is usually my only visitor".

Sam looked at Ben in surprise. "Have you forgotten? The Marine Accident Investigation Branch are due at 10am to start their investigation. By the way, Station Officer Steele passed on the news about Penny. We are all hoping that she will be up to having a few more visitors soon."

Ben looked up at the clock and hurriedly stated re-rolling the maps and weather charts that were strewn across his desk. Sam realised that the Coastguard had indeed forgotten the appointment with the MAIB. As the two men tidied up the room Ben gave Sam a more detailed update on his visit to Penny the evening before. He had tried to be positive on the phone the night before but now, alone with Sam, he opened up about his fears. Sam soon realised that while Penny was no longer in an induced coma the prognosis going forwards was still very uncertain. It looked like his friend was not going to be back at work any time soon, if ever.

Twenty minutes later the office was tidy. The pair were sat at the table still discussing Penny when they heard a knock at the door. Ben headed down to open it while Sam stayed upstairs. Ben soon re-entered the room followed by two MAIB officers. Introductions were made and the officers outlined what would be needed.

"Good morning. I'm Amy Wilkinson, I've been designated as lead officer for this investigation. My colleague here is Steve Cook".

Steve smiled and gently nodded his head.

"I understand yourselves and Miss Morris comprised the full diving party. We have already been in contact with South Wales Fire and Rescue. They have shared the statements you made to their own internal investigators so there is no need you to recount everything again. Please can you reread the statements you gave and sign at the bottom if everything is accurate".

Ben and Sam exchanged a relieved glance as Amy pulled some papers out of the bag she was carrying. The whole incident was still very raw and neither had been looking forward to going over all the details again. As the incident had happened while the fire fighters were on duty, and as part of a planned training exercise, they had already been interviewed by someone from Headquarters. They silently read through the typed statements and signed at the bottom of the page.

"Now", said Amy, "as well as getting the narrative version of events we also need to take copies of some of your records and check your equipment set up."

Until this point Ben and Sam had barely spoken two words between them. Now that the investigators had shifted on to the technical data Ben felt more in control of his emotions. He started bringing out files and log books. He dug out the weather charts for that day before leading the investigators downstairs to where the scuba kit was stored. Amy and Steve looked appreciatively at the neat and tidy lockers. Four sets of kit were clearly labelled and grouped into full sets. There would be no mistaking which equipment had been used.

Ben had already stowed the equipment used by Sam and Penny back on their respective hooks. He had also placed large, red 'Do Not Use' notices on these sets. The equipment log book was in a holder on the side of the locker. Steve took out the book and flicked through it. Inside was detailed the entire history of each piece of kit. Every time something had been used or serviced was meticulously detailed and the number of dive hours clocked up by each item was clear to see. The oxygen cylinder levels before and after each dive were also clearly recorded. As well as the equipment log Penny had also instigated a detailed system of individual dive records. The personal log books kept the training and certification history of each member of the Fire Service, plus a book for Ben. The personal and equipment files were written in such a way that they could be easily cross referenced. Steve passed the books to Amy.

Sam explained that the equipment belonged to the fire service. They provided the equipment and Ben hosted it at the Ocean Rescue Centre.

"These records are incredibly detailed. Who maintained the record books?" Amy asked.

"Penny is the lead diver so most of the entries were made by her" explained Sam. "She also arranged for the equipment to be serviced and requested new equipment from Headquarters if it was needed".

"I see. And who wrote the records on the day in question?"

"I did. The purpose of the dive was for me to have a training refresher and keep my certificates in date. I completed the log before we set out and Penny checked it was correct as part of her assessment."

"The last entry is mine." Ben interjected "After I got back from the hospital I came back to the Centre to check that Neptune was moored safely. Neptune was fine but the scuba kit was in a heap on the floor. I stowed it away and also took the air cylinder readings. You can see that the last dive duration is only approximate, when Sam surfaced with Penny I'm afraid the dive log wasn't really in my mind".

"That is understandable given the circumstances. Even an approximate time helps us to build a picture of the day. Are you sure these oxygen readings are right? I medical report I have received stated that Miss Morris was starved of oxygen but your log book states that there were still plenty of air left in her tank".

"I'm positive. I expected her tank to be empty myself so I checked everything twice. I also had to release air to take the pressure back down to the normal levels for safe tank storage. Whatever happened down there it definitely wasn't her cylinder running out of air".

"Thank you. We will need to take both sets of equipment with us for forensic analysis and comparison. Until the cause if the incident is determined we recommend that you do not use any of the other scuba equipment sets. I will also notify Fire Service Headquarters so they can decide whether to supply additional equipment or suspend underwater activities."

The two investigators started gathering up the files they wanted to take. Ben and Sam helped them carry the two sets of scuba gear to their car which was parked outside. Before they left Amy handed over a couple of business cards.

"Our preliminary report should be ready in the next two weeks. Due to the dual involvement of both the Fire and Coastguard Services the report will be copied to both the Fire Service Headquarters and the Ocean Rescue Centre. The log books will also be returned to you once we have taken copies of any information we find relevant. If any other information comes to light please get in touch."

The MAIB investigators drove away leaving Sam and Ben stood outside the Ocean Rescue Centre. They were both pleased that they had not had to relive their ordeal beyond reading the statements they had given to the Fire Service. Sam turned to Ben.

"I guess there is nothing more we can do except wait. Are you going back up to the hospital tonight?"

"Yes. Before, I didn't want her to be alone while her condition was unstable. Now I don't want her to be alone in case she wakes and panics again. As soon as my shift is over I'll be heading back to Newtown".

"I understand. I feel the same about her. I didn't want to intrude before but I'd like to visit at some point soon. Penny means a lot to me, she feels more like family than a work mate. Whenever you think she is up for it please can you let me know".

"Of course. I'm sure she would like to see you too".

With the meeting with the Marine Accident Investigators over it was time for Sam to return to the fire station. He had travelled over on Mercury. Now he returned to the quad bike, grabbed his helmet out of the locker on the back and headed back to work.

As Sam rode away Ben reflected on how he had once been jealous of the popular fireman. Sam and Penny worked so closely together and were so at ease in each others company that to an outside observer it was easy to mistake them for a couple which is exactly what Ben had done. His work at the Ocean Rescue Centre meant that he regularly came into contact with Penny and the more he got to know her the more he admired her. In Ben's mind through there was just one problem blocking any chance he had with Penny, and that was Sam. Ben was not one to muscle in on a relationship and so instead he had brooded over the situation until he had become quite morose. Thankfully a chance conversation with Charlie one day had set the record straight. Charlie had assured Ben that his brother was nothing more than good friends with Penny and the rest, as they say, is history.

As Ben returned to work his thoughts turned from the past to the future. He'd had so many hopes and dreams and now only time would tell if the future he had dared to dream of was even possible.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N All characters belong to HiT Entertainment**

Two weeks had passed since Sam and Ben had been interviewed by the MAIB and Sam knew the report was due at any point so he was not surprised when Station Officer Steele called him through to his office. The Station Officer gestured for Sam to sit down and then pulled a document out of the neatly organised in-tray on the desk.

"So Sam", Station Officer Steele began, "you can probably guess what this is about. Headquarters have forwarded on the report from Marine Investigators and I'm pleased to say that you and all the others are completely blameless in this incident".

Sam breathed an inward sigh of relief. Logically he knew that everything had been done in the proper manner that day but that hadn't stopped the clouds of self doubt that somehow he might have been the cause of his friends tragic situation. He stayed silent and kept these thoughts to himself while the Station Officer continued.

"The report shows that there was a faulty component inside the regulator that failed during the dive. There is no way this could have been spotted during normal inspection of the equipment, it was something within the sealed casing. This was a terrible accident that noone could have predicted. As a result of this a recall of all regulators from that batch has been issued. All ours were bought at the same time so I will need you to head over to the Ocean Rescue Centre later to collect the kit ready to be sent back to Headquarters. I've printed a second copy of the report for you to take to Ben, he should have received his own but this is just in case his copy has been delayed. I've heard this is causing a big headache for the service. These regulators are spread all over south Wales in scuba kit, not just us coastal stations, the inland stations have them for river and lake rescues."

"Thank you Sir, I appreciate you keeping me informed". Sam knew that not every Station Officer would be so open with his crew about the contents of a report like this one. "Can I head over to the Ocean Rescue Centre now?, Ellie and Arnold are both here and I would like to make sure Ben has that report".

"Yes Sam. Can you check with Ben how Penny is doing? I know he was up at the hospital again last night".

"Of course, Sir. I'll get the scuba kit and let you know any news as soon as I get back".

Sam left the office and headed down to the vehicle bay. After letting Arnold know he was going out he jumped into Venus and drove off towards the quay. He parked outside the Ocean Rescue Centre and went in. He found Ben in the upstairs office staring out to sea. Ben evidently hadn't heard the firefighter arrive as he visible jumped when the firefighter spoke.

"Sorry Sam. I never heard you come in. I was miles away"

"That's alright Ben", Sam replied. "You look like you need a rest. Are you getting enough sleep?"

"Not really, I'll be much happier when Penny gets out of hospital", Ben confided in his friend. "I'll be heading back up there after work. She is meant to be having a physio session today and I'm worried. The last one didn't go well and she got really upset and angry with herself."

"That sounds like Penny. She is used to being good at things. She doesn't take failure very well and is her own worst critic".

The last two weeks had seen some significant improvements for Penny. Once out of the induced coma she been awake for longer and longer each day. A day after being revived she had been moved out of intensive care and into a high dependency ward; a day after that she had been transferred to a regular ward. Everyone at the hospital had been astounded by her progress. MRI scans had shown normal brain function and everyone was hopeful that Penny would make a full recovery. The problem was that noone knew how long this recovery would take. A speech therapist and a physiotherapist had been added to the list of medical professionals responsible for her care and the long journey of rehabilitation had begun. The only person not happy with the rate of progress was Penny herself. Her inability to speak coherently and her reliance on other people for even the simplest of tasks was getting her down. As a result she was miserable and angry, very different from the cheerful and optimistic Penny everyone was used to.

"Anyway, I've brought a copy of the Marine Investigator's report. Station Officer Steele wanted to make sure you had a copy as soon as possible, just in case yours hadn't arrived yet".

"Thanks, mine came through this morning. Have you had a chance to read it?"

"I've not read the full report" admitted Sam "but Station Officer Steele gave me a run through. That's the other reason why I'm here, to collect all the regulators so they can be sent back to HQ".

"That makes sense. It's all in the lockers. I'll give you a hand to get them loaded up."

The two men headed downstairs and started to remove the regulators from amongst the kit in the scuba lockers. Ben carefully recorded the action in the inventory and equipment logs which had already been returned by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch. Sam put the equipment into Venus. Before he left Sam made a promise to Ben that he would visit Penny on his next day off. Ben hoped that Sam would help Penny see sense and to be happy with her progress otherwise he worried about depression being added to the list of things Penny would need help with.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N All recognisable characters belong to HiT Entertainment, the extras are my own**

"...Five...Six...Seven…Eight". Penny was panting by last step and she gratefully fell backwards into the wheelchair the physiotherapist held in place behind her. The effort of walking just a few steps between the parallel bars in the physio studio had exhausted her but she still had enough breath left to argue with the physiotherapist.

"Now will you speak to the consultant about me being discharged and getting out of this place? I've ticked off every task on your list" Penny pleaded.

"Anyone would think you didn't like me", the physiotherapist replied, putting his hand on his heart and acting wounded. "Of all my patients you are the one that keeps asking to leave the most. But yes, I think I can speak to Dr Milford. Don't blame me though if she doesn't agree to you being discharged. I don't want to be in your bad books, I still don't think poor Alex has got over you telling him where to go in not one but two languages."

Penny blushed as she as she was reminded of the day when she had got fed up in a speech therapy session and gave the poor therapist an ear bashing in both English and Welsh, just to prove a point.

"yes...well...I did apologise afterwards. And it did prove that I could manage quite well without any more sessions practising my sh and th sounds."

Penny's physiotherapist, Matt Green, had been involved in her care almost from day one. From the very beginning when he came to manipulate her limbs to help reduce muscle wastage right up to helping her take her first tentative supported steps, he had seen Penny at her best and worst since the accident. Initially, as Penny regained control of her voice and her body, she had been angry and frustrated which made her difficult to work with. Many of the hospital staff had found her rude, although her old personality had returned as she regained her abilities, but Matt was one the few who had realised that mostly she was scared. He had also soon learnt that the softly softly approach didn't work with Penny. Instead, she responded far better to tough challenges and firm orders. She rose to every challenge set and was determined to exceed expectations. Now, after nearly 3 months of sessions, the pair were good friends.

"From my perspective you should be fine to continue your rehabilitation at home with weekly outpatient appointments to check on your progress and set new exercises. You know it isn't down to me but I'll speak to Dr Milford and put in a good word for you".

"Thanks Matt. I just feel so claustrophobic cooped up in this place. It's not so bad since I got a side room off the ward but really I just want to go home and sleep in my own bed again. I'm sure I don't still need to be here. I don't need any medical intervention now. I've not had any relapses. I honestly feel like I'm taking up valuable resources here that could be better used on someone else".

As a hospital porter wheeled out of the physio studio and back towards the ward Matt reflected on how far she had come. Her progress really had been remarkable. While he had never met anyone who had had a scuba diving incident before he had worked with a lot of patients with acquired brain injuries. None had matched the pace of her recovery considering the severity of her disability at the start. Her speech had come back quite quickly, much to Penny's relief, because the inability to communicate had been incredibly upsetting for her. Once she could talk she had made it quite clear that her priority was to get home as quickly as possible. Matt had been tasked with assessing her physical abilities and helping her relearn how to control her body. He had worked on old skills, like using cutlery, and new ones like transferring into her wheelchair and self propelling. Each step towards independence has seen Penny regain a spark of happiness. Each task failed saw her get cross and he learnt to recognise as her masking her fear from the outside world. Matt sat down to write up his report of the session. He smiled as he wrote the words 'Patient ready for transfer to outpatient clinic'.

The following day Penny was sat up on her bed when Dr Milford appeared on her rounds. It was visiting hours and Ben was updating her on what had been happening around the town in her absence. The tray table in front of Penny was covered in sheets of paper and Dr Milford couldn't stop herself from taking a look. The sheets were covered in shaky writing, some had the alphabet written out while others just had Penny's name. The lettering was large and shaky and looked more like the first halting attempts of a pre-schooler than the writing of a grown woman but Dr Milford knew how much effort it must have taken for Penny to keep that level of control over a pencil.

"Good afternoon Penny, and you too Mr Hooper. No wonder Mr Green has been seeing such swift improvements. You seem to spend every waking moment working on some task or other", Dr Milford smiled as she checked the chart at the end of Penny's bed.

"I just want to get home" Penny responded.

"You have made your feelings on that quite clear but we do have to consider the practicalities. I'm pleased to see you haven't needed any sleeping tablets for the last few days"

"You didn't tell me you were having trouble sleeping" Ben chimed in, looking concerned.

Penny looked across at him guiltily. "I've had a few nightmares. I didn't want to worry you".

"Penny, would you rather Mr Hooper goes for a coffee while we have our conversation?" Dr Milford asked, giving Penny the opportunity to politely kick Ben out so their consultation could be private.

"No, it's fine for him to stay. I should have said about the nightmares. Anything you want to say can be said in front of Ben".

"Very well," Dr Milford continued, "medically you are ready to go home. You don't need clinical care any more and the nightmares are not unexpected. We can give you a prescription of sleeping tablets for you to take when needed at home".

"So why am I still here?"

"The difficulty is with your physical abilities. We have a duty of care to ensure we are discharging you to a safe environment and with your current limited mobility I don't think you should be at home. Your notes say you live alone. While we could arrange a care package with social services the fact remains we would be sending you back to a house that is entirely unsuitable for your needs. Those terraced cottages aren't suitable for your wheelchair and while I know you have been working at your walking you are not ready to do without your wheels yet. There is also the added complication of the only bathroom facilities being upstairs."

Penny looked downcast then shot a ferocious glare at the wheelchair in the corner of the room. Ben sensed an angry outburst coming. This wasn't how he had imagined this conversation going but he took a deep breath and spoke up.

"Um". Both women turned to look at him because as a rule Ben stayed out of their conversations. "Is it really just the housing keeping Penny here?" he asked.

"After reading the glowing report I received last night from Mr Green, and this rather empty medical chart, I'd say that given the right circumstances Miss Morris should be able to be discharged and moved to outpatient physiotherapy".

Ben now turned to Penny. "Will you move in with me? I'm not asking just because of what the doctor has said. I've been meaning to ask you for a long time, since long before your accident, but I've never found the right time. Or the courage"

Penny looked across at Ben in surprise. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Positive. I know you love your cottage and that's part of why I've never asked, in case you turned me down but perhaps now my characterless cardboard bungalow looks a little more appealing".

"I would love to move in with you. Even if it does mean I have to give up my log burner", Penny said with a smile.

Penny and Ben looked back at Dr Milford who had stayed quiet during this exchange. "We would still need the social work team to do a needs assessment and check things over. It would certainly be preferable from my perspective for you to be discharged to somewhere that you wouldn't be living alone and a bungalow does make it easier while you are still so reliant on your wheelchair. The other option would be to move you to a respite care home as an interim step". Dr Milford could almost feel the force behind Penny's glare. "But somehow I don't think you would be happy with that idea."

Dr Milford left the room with a promise that an assessment of Ben's bungalow before the end of the week. Ben and Penny looked at each other and smiled. It looked like Penny would finally be getting out of the hospital.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N All characters belong to HiT Entertainment**

Following Penny's agreement to move in with Ben there had been a flurry of activity to prepare for her release from hospital. Just three days later Ben was packing up the contents of the hospital room under Penny's careful direction. It turned out that quite a lot of Penny's belongings had made it over to the hospital over the previous 3 months.

"I'm glad I borrowed Mike's van. I though I would need it for your chair and walking frame but I might need to make a second trip for those, there might not be room for them with all these books" Ben joked.

Ben had already loaded up some equipment borrowed from the Occupational Therapy department that would make life a little easier for Penny and help her maintain her independence. Now just her wheelchair, new walking frame and personal belongings were left. Penny was just about to throw a stress ball at him when they were interrupted by a knock on the door and in walked Matt, Penny's physiotherapist.

"I've just finished my shift and wanted to pop up to say goodbye. I heard you finally got your wish to escape. Good to see you still working on your finger grip exercises" Matt said with a grin.

Penny lowered her hand and looked guiltily at the stress ball still held in it.

"Cheers," said Ben, "since she started pushing herself about in that chair she has developed a cracking throwing arm. You would think she was trying out for the cricket team".

That comment earned Ben a stress ball to the left temple.

"Good shot", Matt joked, "your upper body coordination is really improving and Ben is right, self-propelling your chair will really build your arm and shoulder muscles back up. Just don't over do it too soon. You will still get tired out very quickly and you don't want to end up stranded somewhere. You need to let other people help you."

"I just wish I didn't have to use that thing at all" Penny grumbled. "For some reason my legs still don't seem to belong to me. Every step is such a challenge both mentally and physically."

"I know. You just need to treat it as another tool for now. But your body does seem to be relearning the movement event if it isn't doing so quick enough for your liking. The speed of your recovery is astonishing and believe me I have worked with a lot of patients. You wouldn't have been issued with that frame if I didn't think you were ready for it. Once you start getting back on your feet your body will remember what it needs to do" Matt reassured her. "I don't work in outpatients much but I'll still try and pop in from time to time if I know you are in to see how you are getting on. Bye for now."

Matt left and Ben returned to the packing. After another half hour everything was down in the van except for Penny's wheelchair. All that was left now was to wait for Dr Gilbert to make her final rounds then sign the discharge papers. The doctor appeared shortly after and they were given the all clear to go. The couple had a slight disagreement over whether Penny would wheel herself out or be pushed and in the end they had to reach a compromise; Penny would wheel herself out of the building but Ben would push once they were outside and they needed to navigate uneven surfaces. And so, nearly 4 months after her dramatic entrance in the back of Wallaby 2, Penny finally left Newtown Hospital.

As they headed back towards Pontypandy Penny grew more and more withdrawn. She stared out of the window not really seeing the scenery passing by, her head turned to one side and her eyes glazed.

"What's up, pet?" Ben asked, the concern evident in his voice.

"It's just been so long since I've been home. Part of me has been longing to get back to Pontypandy but now that we are finally on our way I don't really know if I'm ready".

"Are you having doubts about moving in with me? If that's it we can try and make it work so you can go back to your cottage."

"No, it's not that. If anything the thought of having you with me is the one good thing that has come out of all of this" she reassured him. "I just I hate feeling so helpless and being back I'm just going to be surrounded by reminders of everything I can't do now. Every time I see one of the fire engines go out it's going to rub it in that I can't do that now. At least in the hospital I could hide away. I didn't have to put on a brave face all the time."

Ben felt a wave of guilt wash over him. "Um…about being surrounded by these reminders. The folks from your work, they were so excited to hear you were being discharged. The have put on a little gathering at the fire station and I'm meant to take you straight there as a surprise. It doesn't seem right to spring that on you now though. If you want I can pull over and give Sam a call. He will understand and can make some excuse if you don't want to go".

Penny sighed. "I suppose I should have known. It's what Pontypandy does after all. No, we will stop off at the fire station. I've got to face them all at some point. May as well get it over with now. On the bright side it might stop us getting half the town knocking on the door tomorrow to say hello."

The rest of the journey passed in near silence. Penny still got tired easily and it would be nearly 6pm before they reached Pontypandy. Ben could tell that she was enjoying the last few minutes of silence before the inevitable bright lights and bustle of the welcome home party.

They turned into the fire station compound to see the vehicle bay doors open. Most of the town seemed to have turned up and Ben had to drive very slowly across the yard to avoid hitting anyone. As they parked up Penny put a hand on his arm making him pause. "Please" she said in almost a whisper, "let me push myself. I'll be ok. I've got to be strong in front of the crew." Ben nodded. He wasn't too happy with the idea but he understood.

Ben unloaded Penny's chair from the back of the van and wheeled it around to her door. Penny slid herself across and started pushing herself over to the waiting crowd, leaving Ben to shut the van. Station Officer Steele detached himself from the crowd and stepped forwards to greet her.

"Welcome back Firefighter Morris. You had us worried. It's good to have you back".

"Thank you Sir. It's good to be back"

One by one the residents of Pontypandy came up to greet her. Some, like Sam and the rest of the firefighters, had been to visit her in hospital but for others it was the first time they had seen her since she had been whisked away by helicopter. Penny mingled with the crowd and made polite small talk but it felt like she was having the same conversation again and again. She made her way over to a laden buffet table, provided by Bronwen judging by the platters of fishy nibbles, and savoured some non-hospital food. Now this was worth coming for she thought. She spun herself around and nearly collided with Hannah Sparkes.

"I hear we are going to be neighbours" said Hannah who lived in the bungalow attached to the garage, just a few doors down from Ben.

"Yes," said Penny, "the hospital weren't going to discharge me to my own cottage".

"Have you got a crick in your neck yet?" Penny just looked puzzled so Hannah explained. "Everyone always stands too close so you have to look right up to see their face. It's not so bad with the other kids. Tom Thomas is the worst, he is so tall I have to wheel myself back a bit otherwise I end up aching".

Penny replayed the many conversations she had had that evening and realised that Hannah was right. People didn't mean to but they generally stood so close that Penny felt they were looming over her. She made a mental note that when she got out of her chair she would be more careful with how she treated Hannah. She realised the girl could probably give her more tips to make life on wheels a bit easier, after all Penny was a novice compared to Hannah.

"You're right" Penny replied, "I'll have to watch out for that one. I'll have to come to you for a few lessons. Any other good tips?"

"Yes, get yourself a pair of these". Hannah spread out her hands, indicating her fingerless gloves. "They are special reinforced ones. Mum orders them for me from some shop online. They stop you getting blisters and really help. You should come over soon and Mum can give you the details."

"Thanks. I'll try anything that make using this thing a bit easier".

Penny slowly navigated her way thought the crowd until she found Ben in a quiet corner and asked him to take her home. She was tired out and had had enough of all the noise and bustle. Ben assured her that there was just one more surprise, a welcome back gift. Penny composed herself and fixed a smile back on her face. Station Officer Steele tapped a glass with a spoon to call for quiet and cleared his throat.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming here this evening to welcome back Firefighter Morris. We are delighted to have her back with us in Pontypandy. Now, the junior cadets have made a welcome home gift which they would like to present".

Penny noticed that the six junior cadets had lined up behind the Station Officer. Sam appeared from the doorway that led through to the briefing room carrying two thin wooden discs. He handed one each to Mandy and James who stepped forwards to present them to Penny. It took her a moment to work out that they were decorated caps for her wheels, similar to those Hannah had on her chair. Each disc was divided into thirds and it was evident that the cadets, Sarah, James, Mandy, Norman, Hannah and Derek, had each decorated a section. Penny looked at the gaudy images, each showing something special to her. Jupiter and Venus were both there, as was the lighthouse, a view of the cliffs and the symbol from the back of her station uniform. One of of the panels looked suspiciously like a sheep; she guessed that one was down to Norman who had a soft spot for his favourite sheep Wooly.

Penny was touched by the gesture and her thanks were genuine. She could feel her throat getting choked with emotion so she said a brief goodnight to the assembled crowd and headed back toward the van. Ben made arrangements with Mike to return the van then joined her.

Soon they were off on the short drive back to the bungalow. Silent tears rolled down Penny's face but Ben knew better than to say anything. He knew that appearing so cheerful in front of her friends and colleagues would have taken its toll and he let her release the emotion in her own way. Penny gave a few big sniffs as Ben parked up and she wiped away the tears on her sleeve. By the time he had unloaded her chair again and wheeled it round to the door Penny appeared almost normal again although her eyes were still rather red.

As they approached the house Penny noticed one of the new additions to the bungalow. "You've had a ramp put in" she exclaimed.

"It's been a busy few days" Ben responded. "As soon as you agreed to come here and Dr Gilbert said you could be discharged I got Mike to build it. You won't always want to wait for me to let you in and out and we don't know how long it will be before you are heading out without your chair".

As the reached the front door Ben stopped, dug in his pocket and pulled out a shining new set of keys. "Speaking of not waiting for me to let you in and out I got these cut; the silver is the front door, the other two are the back door and the shed. Care to do the honours?" he asked, handing over the keys.

Penny unlocked the door and wheeled herself inside. She looked around the room which was so familiar and yet so alien now she was expected to call it home. Before she knew it the tears were falling again but this time accompanied by big choking sobs. Ben crouched down next to her and hugged her awkwardly. As the gaps between the sobs lengthened Penny let her thoughts and fears spill out.

"I'm scared Ben. All I've ever known is being a fire fighter and now I'm useless. I can't do my job. I can't do anything. Station Officer Steele still called me 'Firefighter Morris' but how can a be a firefighter when I can't even walk. Seeing everyone tonight, being back at the station, I felt a fraud. What am I going to do? Matt might be sure I'll walk again but we just don't know. What if I never get better? What if I can't ever go back."


End file.
